A Melbourne Rooftop Wedding

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018 | By Rosalie Iannelli

Under a canopy of marquee lights, on a rooftop overlooking Melbourne city, Reena and Andy threw the biggest party of their lives so far, with 46 of their nearest and dearest family and friends.

Reena is an extraverted graphic designer and Andy is an introverted IT guru. They met at a youth group in Canberra, almost exactly half way between Reena’s home in Perth and Andy’s home in New Zealand. After pursuing a long-distance relationship for five years, with twice yearly visits (and plenty of Skype sessions), the pair finally settled in Melbourne to make a life together.

Reena and Andy decided they didn’t want a traditional wedding. Their only requirement was that they created a day where their guests could gather together over good food and have a ‘bloody good time.’

Growing up, Reena always knew she wanted a wedding that was pretty but also incredibly funky. After catching an article on balloon installations, she knew that it would be a total hit and much more in-your-face than just flowers and foliage.

Reena set her sights on a pale pink balloon installation that would be the focal point of her special day. Like any good graphic designer, she also visited the vendor’s house to ensure she used the exact same shade of pink on her giant, self-designed A3 wedding invitations.

To style her wedding, Reena started by making a moodboard on her phone that she could reference when sourcing different elements. And although she sometimes got sidetracked and ended up with something a little different to her vision, she says that at the end of the day, it still represented her and Andy.

‘My advice for other couples is to just do whatever you feel reflects you, and make sure you have fun!’ says Reena.

‘We didn’t have a bridal party because it wasn’t possible given that our families and best friends lived overseas. We also didn’t have a first dance, because I can’t dance!’

‘Also, if it’s not economically feasible, you can do without. We skipped the bridal car and decided Uber would suffice, given the short distance and difficulty in finding parking nearby our venue. Plus, my wedding Uber turned out to be a cute bright red car, so really not that bad after all!’